Tag: #Four Cornerstones

Final cornerstone is the ultimate goal in the co-active model, and it is “Evoke Transformation” with the coachee. The common purpose of the collaborative conversation in co-active model is the coachee’s full and best life. The topic of the coaching will likely be something quite specific that is a kind of part of coachee’s life that the coachee is focused on, or is facing in the timing: new job, promotion, working condition, improved fitness, or execution on a business plan. Actually, some coachees may have their attention only on the specific goal for that specific topic. On the other hand, the coach sees not only the specific topic that the coachee brings, but also the fully connected life. The coach should have the pure desire to realize the coachee’s best, resonant and tasteful life. Then the coach structures the practical connection of the specific topic and the desired potential. These kind of positive, wide perspective and resolute engagement of coaching will bring the breakthrough awareness: a new strength, a renewed capability, a wide range of options, to the coachee. It seems like that they have real experience finding muscles they didn’t know they had or had forgotten they had. Then by taking a stand for the greatest possible impact from even the smallest action, coaches encourage, and ultimately “evoke transformation”.Although Co-Active model originally designed for the professional coaching, it can be changed the daily conversations at work with a colleague as well as a son or a daughter. No doubt we were busy focusing on resolving a particular issue. But think again, with the advantage of hindsight, how the conversation might have changed if we are conscious of the four cornerstones. How does the quality of the conversation change when we start with a belief that the coworker, son, or daughter is naturally creative, resourceful, and whole? Capable? It’s possible the conversation might change from giving advice to being curious: asking more questions and inviting the resourcefulness of that other person. The awareness will be shift from daily business or issue itself to the someone’s hopeful life with the great possibility. The ability to dance with whatever shows up is certainly a leadership competency; in today’s world of business, great agility is essential. Effective leaders display that quality in their work with others every day. Even the fourth cornerstone, “Evoke Transformation,” can be a resonant field in which the conversation takes place. That brief conversation has the potential to affirm that colleague, son, or daughter in ways that reverberate long after the presenting issue has been handled.Then, of course, we don’t need to be conscious for four cornerstones in every conversation. We can use them in addition to the usual conversations, problem solving mind-set, or logical discussion situationally, to get the conversation wider and deeper, then to evoke drastic transformation ultimately.

A conversation is a powerful and dynamic interchange between people. Although it is natural to pay attention to the content of the conversation: the words, the positions, the ideas, there is much more going on in every moment. Every conversation creates tone, mood, nuance in addition to the content. There is as much information, sometimes more in how the words are said; sometimes there is more information in what is not said than what is said.The third cornerstone of four cornerstones in co-active model is “Dance in this moment”. This means the importance and possibility of dynamic conversation focusing on the moment, THIS moment, and then the next moment. For that, it is critically essential listening intently at many levels, and of course, choosing when and how to respond, to intervene. They should be with no plan, no scenario, no preparation. To “dance” is to respond from a co-active core meaning both “co” as in collaborative, and active, moving the dance forward. In a truly co-active conversation there are moments when the coach leads the dance, moments when the coachee leads the dance, and moment when it is not clear at all who is leading and who is following.The perfect dance should be lose the designation of leader and follower in a place of tuned in to each other and in a place of frank but trusted. The synergy of their synchronized dance should be utilized only for the coachee’s learning and discovery.

The second cornerstone of four cornerstones in co-active model is “Focus on the whole person”. People are usually focus on solving issues that they are facing, not only in the business but also in usual life. Especially in the business, leaders and managers have to focus on the problems or issues that they should solve realizing the required outcome. Under enormous pressure, first task they take on is to identify the problem to be solved. This is quite understandable, and of course solving problem is important. However, leaders manage people, not just problem. Developing talent and creating a more resourceful and effective organization accomplishes sustainable results, long after the presenting problem is solved. Even under organization stress, this whole-person mind set sees opportunity not to be overlooked.The person does have a problem to solve: a change to make, a dream to fulfill, a task to accomplish, a goal to reach. All of these are true. But this person is more than the problem at hand, or the dream, the task, the goal. This is a whole person: heart, mind, body, and spirit. And this issue, whatever it is, is not neatly isolated. It is inexorably entwined in the person’s whole life. The “focus” here should be a soft and broad focus, an attentive focus that includes the whole person and the whole life, listening on many levels. It is not a hard, tight and concentrated focus on the whole person. We should not be focusing on heart, mind, body, and spirit as independent elements. Then a coach or anyone in a co-active conversation ought to be tuned in to the influences that are present in these different dimensions.Obviously, a focus on the whole person also means that we are aware of all the ways the issue or topic before us is interwoven in the person’s life. The key is increased awareness that the single and narrow subject should be connected to the possible broader or deeper conversations for the person’s whole life. Although a coach or a leader can work with someone on a very narrow topic, in the co-active way there is a larger picture of the whole person and the person’s whole life.

NCRW stands for “People are Naturally Creative, Resourceful, and Whole”, and is the most essential and characteristic fundamental belief of Co-Active Way and Model. NCRW is the first cornerstone of four cornerstones that represent the fundamental beliefs of co-active way of being in relationship and conversation at the deepest level. The co-active model rests on the four cornerstones, declarations, including NCRW. Four cornerstones have structured to provide the fundamental nature in order for engaged and empowered relationship, then for evoked drastic and bold transformation.NCRW means that all of the people are capable: capable of finding answers, capable of choosing, capable of taking actions, capable of recovering when they meet with difficulties, and, especially, capable of learning. In the co-active model, it is more than a belief; it is a stand we take.If we are in the alternative belief that people are fragile and dependent. With that belief, the job of coach or leader would be to guide the coachee or subordinate to the safest possible outcome. The differences are quite obvious. When we take a stand for other people’s creativity and resourcefulness, we feel some kind of respect and honor on their behalf, not overanxiety or care. Besides, when we assume that others are creative and resourceful, we can be curious and open to their enormous possibilities. The keyword here is naturally. Human beings are fairly creative and resourceful enough, when they were born as babies. On the way of growing up to adult through children, people have various experiences in the real life each by each. Although, sometimes the brightness of creativity and resourcefulness might be clouded in their circumstances, the natural capabilities are still existing inside themselves. So, if we believe their natural capabilities inside, we can dig them out certainly. Then final keyword is whole, wholeness. The wholeness here means that we can believe and accept all of their capabilities regardless of each character; good and bad, bright and dark, big and small, generous and delicate, white and black, etc. The structured total NCRW provides the infinite, limitless and eternal possibilities to show their capabilities getting their desired outcome and happy life.